Mobile phone for youngster

[ATTILADHUN]

My son is going to a secondary school soon. I was thinking to get him a mobile phone in order for him to let me know his whereabout. I was thinking whether to get him a phone with 'pay as you go' plan. Is it a good idea?

Given that he always lose his stuff at school, I need something that I can rely on him to look after it.

[bednobs]

well, if you can't rely on him to look after it, it's not going to make all that much difference whether you spend £10 or £500 on one is it? just go to a phone shop and look at the pay and go ones

[Postdog]

Get a cheapie. He might want an all singing and dancing job, but aside from getting lost, it could also get nicked. A simple PAYG so you can keep in touch, that's all he needs.

[maclarencat]

A pay as you go is a good start plus it will give you an indication of cost. If you put him on a contract you may not know how much he has used his phone until you get a massive bill. Also if he loses the pay as you go the finder can only use the credit he has on it and not run up a bill phoning worldwide at your expense.

[mrs_overall]

Youngest Junior Overall started middle school this year and wanted a phone. I bought him a £10 phone from Asda on PAYG

[hc4361]

mrs_o has got the right idea.
PAYG will teach him how to budget as well as stopping him running up huge bills.
An expensive phone is begging to be stolen.

Asda, Tesco both sell phones around the £10 mark.

[mrs_overall]

Another tip is to set a limit on how much credit he can have per month.
I put £10 credit on his phone each month. This gives him unlimited texts and he knows only to use the phone for calls if it is urgent.
if he needs more credit it comes out of his pocket money.

[B00]

Why does he need a mobile just because he's starting secondary school? I'm assuming you'll be just as aware of his wherabouts as you were when he was primary school?

[ummmm]

They go out more B00...and are more likely to make their own way home.

[B00]

I must be a terrible mum then ummm, lol, as I personally fail to see the need to get a phone just because he'll be starting high school, at least immediately anyway. I can't imagine the kid will suddenly start being out more than he was previously?

[ummmm]

In primary school I dropped mine off and picked them up. They went on their own in secondary...and it's a bit of trek.

Anyway....it doesn't relate to me...mine had phones long before they started secondary ;-)

[B00]

Seriously? Might be different nowadays (Mini Boo still only 7) but I don't think my eldest, who's now 23 had one until long after she left high svhool and bought her own, lol.

Gotta admit, I have a bit of a personal bugbear with regards to phones in school, I personally don't think children should have them whilst in school, in my idea world, they'd be dropped off into a box on entry into school (signed for obviously!) and collected when they leave- but I'm aware i'm a bit of a fossil on this one:P

[B00]

escuse the many many many typos, im knackered :-(

[ummmm]

It kinda bugs me as well. I often see the kids mates update their status in lesson time.

My kids wouldn't dare...they know I'm watching!!

[B00]

That's what I meant, that's exactly why ummmm!

[LoftyLottie]

I am a fossil on this too BOO. I don't think they should be allowed in schools, but I can see the advantage of a child of 11 having a pay as you go one to be able to contact parents with a limited amount of how much they are allowed to top it up with.

I am so thankful my son is of the generation that didn't carry mobiles as children.

Somehow we managed without the wretched things.

[B00]

lol yup we did Lottie.

I was lucky enough, only just though, to get away with it Elder Mini Boo, I doublt i will with Mini Boo though. I just know how it'll work though, she'll ask me, i'll say no, she'll ask daddy, he'll say yes.

[ummmm]

That's how it works B00....

Mine only got their phones because their Dad bought them. They only seen him every other weekend so it was purely to keep in touch. They never took them to primary.

[bednobs]

hmmm what a minefield children are!
I was only having this convo with husband today as my nephew who is 7 asked for an i phone for xmas (luckily, my sensible sister said no, although he does have an i pad!!)
People say it's for safety but as i was saying to husband, holly and jessica had mobiles, as did milly dowler but they didn't help them

[bednobs]

having re-read that i take it back about my sister being sensible, when her 7 year old has his own ipad

[ummmm]

It's to know where they are. Sometimes mine get in at 4....sometimes 4.30. If it goes past 4.30 I ring. It's to put the parents minds at rest.